'Sgt Monkhouse, 35, was killed when his patrol was hit by a roadside bomb in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand Province on Saturday.

The soldier, from Carlisle, was one of four British servicemen to die within a 24-hour period. He had previously served four tours in Northern Ireland and one in Iraq.

He leaves his mother, Bobby, sister Deborah, his partner Fiona and daughter, Daisy-Twinkle.

His family said: "For David, the Army was his life, second only to his daughter.

"His devotions were equally divided between his beloved Twinkle and his beloved Regiment, the Royal Dragoon Guards.

"He was an exceptional soldier and loving and devoted parent. He would not have changed his life for anything."

Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, commanding officer of The Royal Dragoon Guards, described Sgt Monkhouse, a Regimental Medical Sergeant, as a "great man".

He said: "Whilst Bob's passion for soldiering and medicine was significant, it did not come close to his love for his daughter Twinkle.

"He talked of her incessantly. She was his everything. She will be distraught and devastated by her father's death but she can be hugely proud of her father, for he was a great man."

Major Marcus Mudd, commanding officer of The 4th Mechanised Brigade Reconnaissance Force, added: "Sergeant Monkhouse was a man mountain; our medic, a father figure and to all of us, he was a true friend.

"A larger than life character, his ready smile and hearty laugh belied an exceptionally robust and efficient core.

"He loved his job and his role within the Brigade Reconnaissance Force; he was a consummate professional.

"Cool and effective under fire, Sergeant Monkhouse continually placed himself where the fighting was at its fiercest in order that he could best treat the Squadron's casualties."

Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "It is clear from the tributes of those who worked alongside him that Sergeant Monkhouse was a well respected soldier, whose charisma and passion were infectious.

"His invaluable medical skills no doubt saved the lives of many of his colleagues on the front line. He died doing a job he loved and one which has made a difference to our national security and the Afghan people." '